长沙港岛洗浴:10 creative ways to earn extra cash

10 creative ways to earn extra cash

Looking for a bit of extra cash or a way to supplement your income? Donna Every, author of "What Do You Have in Your House?" has ideas. An accountant and entrepreneur based in Barbados, Every details creative ways to leverage personal assets to help make ends meet - selling unused possessions, monetizing skills and hobbies, and exercising fiscal responsibility.

We caught up with Every, whose book was released in the United States late last year, and came away with a list of ways to turn your material and intellectual assets into extra earnings.

— Marino Eccher, Boston.com Correspondent

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Figure out what can go

Every said your home may be a treasure trove. "Walk through your house and say, 'What do I use?'" she said. You may realize you're sitting on materials goods you rarely or never touch - a long-ignored juicer, an appliance that never made it out of the package.

Selling these off can help clear the house of clutter and bring in extra income - perhaps not a fortune, but enough to start saving or pay off credit cards, Every said.

She said items in storage are a prime target for sale. "You're living without them," she said. "You don't really need them."

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Look for antiques

Some household items gathering dust - old lamps or outdated telephones, for example - may be useless to you but valuable to antique collectors, Every said. Such items can fetch cash online through Craiglist, eBay, or Amazon.com, or through old-fashioned garage sales.

(Courtesy Skinner Inc.)

Clear out the toy box

Every said toys that children no longer use or have outgrown - plus books or older video games - are another plentiful type of salable goods. "Kids, especially, have tons of things," she said. When they move on or are willing to part with them, those accumulated items can find new life elsewhere and fetch income in the process.

(John Bohn / Globe Staff)

Look for fixer-uppers

Selling unused material items might bring in a one-time haul, Every said, but monetizing a skill or hobby can generate consistent income.

She said repair skills are particularly useful in tough economic times, because consumers are interested in getting existing items fixed rather than buying new ones. "You might not rush out there and buy that new washing machine or dryer, but you might want to repair it," she said.

She said electronic and computer repair skills are particularly valuable.

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Fire up the grill

Every consumers may steer clear of high-end restaurants during an economic downturn, but "we still eat and we're still lazy - we don't like to cook." If you're handy in the kitchen, she said, you can make money on the side by offering a lower-cost alternative to expensive eateries.

Every described a friend who was struggling to make ends meet in her day job as a maid. The friend opened a "mini-restaurant" off the side of her home, preparing meals during her off hours and selling them on weekends. Instead of going to an upscale restaurant, Every said neighbors would drop by to buy a home-cooked meal.

If you consider going this route, remember that businesses that sell food must comply with zoning and health regulations.

(Photo/John Blanding, Boston Globe staff )

Sell your business skills

The economic downturn has created a number of "forced entrepreneurs" - people who went into business for themselves because they lost their incomes and had few alternatives. Every said many of these people have no business expertise - and are willing to pay for guidance from those who do.

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Get into teaching

Every said teaching and private tutoring are also viable moneymakers as job-seekers and professionals look to bolster their credentials. "People are looking to get new skills," she said. If you have something to teach and are competent in teaching it, you can earn income doing so.

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Fill an affordable niche

According to Every, consumers haven't stopped spending money. They're just seeking out cheaper products and spending down. This means that business ideas that fill a low-cost niche can be moneymakers.

She said this can include ideas that aren't obvious or seem improbable - one friend, for instance, earned extra money by digging into her art hobby and selling paintings on the side.

"You think, well, who would buy a painting in a recession?" Every said. But the friend was successful because she sold modestly priced artwork to buyers who wanted to spruce up their homes without spending heavily on new furniture.

(Phil Marino for The New York Times)

Sell to people you know

When it comes to marketing your talents or goods, Every said it's best to begin close to home. "You start with who you know," she said.

She also said an online presence like a personal website can be an inexpensive way to promote yourself. But she said most of your success will likely come through close contacts and referrals. "If you're doing a really good job of what you're offering, that can get further business," she said.

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Don't fall into bad habits

Every said making ends meet isn't just about making more money - it's also about controlling your spending and developing good habits. "People probably hate to hear this word, but discipline is really a big one," she said. "It's important that we have the right attitude and set financial goals."

She said it concerns her when she hears that people are starting to spend like they did before the recession began. Making extra money isn't an excuse to spend frivolously, she said. When considering a purchase, she suggested consumers ask themselves: "Do I need it, or do I just want it?"

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Your Turn

Are there ways that you supplement your regular income - or help make ends meet while you look for a job?